Field of the Invention. The present invention relates generally to the field of modular cable protectors. More specifically, the present invention discloses a detachable hand rail for modular cable protectors.
Statement of the Problem. Hose and cable bridging protective devices have been used in the past to prevent damage for hoses, cables, wiring and the like by vehicles and pedestrians. These cable protectors also help to minimize the risk of pedestrians tripping over cables. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “cable” should be broadly interpreted to include cables, hoses, electrical wiring, conduits, optical fibers, pneumatic tubing, plumbing, and the like.
Conventional cable protectors include one or more channels extending in parallel between the ends of the cable protector to receive the cables. Side ramps or beveled edges extend laterally outward from both sides of the cable protector to allow vehicles to roll over the top of the cable protector. Each cable protector typically includes a set of end connectors that enable a series of cable protectors to be attached together in a modular end-to-end fashion to any desired length.
Navigating the side ramps of a cable protector can be a significant problem for handicapped people, and for people with baby strollers, walkers, bicycles, tricycles, scooters, wagons, roller blades, skateboards, and the like. In particular, wheeled vehicles can roll off the lateral edge of the ramp, which can tip the vehicle or jolt the passenger. There is also a possibility that a pedestrian could stumble over, or trip off the lateral edge of the ramp. In addition, side ramps can create a trip hazard for people walking parallel to the cable protectors.
One response to these problems has been to attach removable short side rails to the edges of each side ramp, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,036 (Duvall). This approach makes it more difficult for a wheeled vehicle to accidentally roll off the edge of a side ramp. However, it does not really address the trip-hazard problem. In fact, short side rails might increase this risk to some degree. Finally, some elderly and handicapped individuals feel more comfortable when provided with a hand rail at a suitable ergonomic height. Therefore, a need exists for a hand rail attachment that can be used in conjunction with cable protectors to address the trip-hazard problem and provide a removable hand rail.
Solution to the Problem. The present invention provides a hand rail attachment that can be connected to the side ramps of a cable protector in a modular manner, and without interfering with the functionality of the cable protector. The height of the hand rail is selected to provide convenient hand support for pedestrians, and also to be readily gripped by a person in a wheelchair.
The hand rail member in the present invention is also very modular in that it can be quickly and easily attached to, and removed from a cable protector, as needed, using the conventional end connectors found on many cable protectors. This enables the hand rail members and cable protectors to be readily configured to meet the needs of a specific job.